I really love that you guys are making content on entry level stuff. I know this isn't your first video of this kind but still, it's a breath of fresh air in an otherwise "premium" landscape.

It’s really refreshing to see big channels like yours reviewing bikes that many people will be buying instead of £20,000 super bikes that most people will never touch

I'd go for second hand, you should do a cheap bike challenge between you 2, a budget of £500 to go and find the best first road Bike

It's nice to hear a very rational review on an entry-level bike without the first-world snobbery or elitism 🙌❤️

I bought this exact bike in the same size from Halfords in November AND it was my first bike as an adult. I'm 25 and I haven't ridden since I was like 12 so it's definitely been a hot minute since I'd ridden anything. Furthermore I'd also never ridden drop bars before and I really agree with what you say about the weird shape of the bars on this bike - Riding on the tops and hoods is super comfortable and the width of the bar is perfect however riding in the drops feels really sketchy because the drops are just a strange shape. It kinda feels like there isn't enough room to put your hand on the bar at the bottom of the drop, like they got cut a little short on the back sweep. That being said, I'm a full covert to drop bars now as they're just so much more comfortable to ride around on and I don't spend an extended amount of time down in the drops on my rides to and from the shops or work so they're a pass for me for now - maybe I'll change them later on 😜 I also had the bike built for me - mostly because I had zero idea what I was doing and didn't want to mess it up - and I too had a problem with disc brake rub out the box which I learned to fix myself. I also found that my gears were indexed to absolutely nothing out the box and spent an evening learning how to do it myself and now it runs amazingly. I totally get what you're saying with it not being beginner gearing too - I live on the top of a hill in a really hilly area and the first month or two of riding I just couldn't get up the hill to my house so I had to walk it up which made me feel silly but I think that was a combination of the harder gearing and me being ridiculously unfit. After a few months of riding I'm happy to say I can totally make it up the hill home and I'm a much stronger rider. Me buying a bike was a way of having some reliable transport and to get my fitness up as I don't really get to stay active due to work. This bike really makes me excited to go for rides and I go out pretty much every day now even if it's only for half an hour to spin my legs a bit - I'm very thankful for it giving me the cycling bug 😊 Thanks for the killer video, guys - It's really refreshing to see someone talking about affordable beginner gear that can get more people excited to get in the saddle and, subsequently, make more people for everyone to ride with

I'm a beginner and I have this bike, I'm glad you said the gear ratios are tight, I thought it was just me being a beginner 😅 can justify changing the rear cassette now!!

Seriously, this series is a treasure trove for people looking for their first bike. Absolute top notch service. Chapeau!

I saw a £2700 Ribble described as an "entry level" gravel bike today on a website. Nice to see this channel reminding people that you can get into cycling without spending a lot of money.

I've to say I quite like those entry level bike videos. I have a lot of friends I want to bring into the sport, but most of them shy away from buying a bike for 1500€ or more, just to see if they like it or not. So please keep them coming as well as the ali express parts videos. You are helping to make the sport more accessibly for all of us :D

I used to woek for halfords as a bike builder. For most people that enjoy cycling at a hobby level its a great entry level option.

As someone who works at Halfords and has sold many of these bikes and similar it's nice to finally get a modern accurate review to reference

Cade -- thanks for being so thorough on your entry level series, it's great for us beginner riders trying to get more knowledge of the sport.

I’m particularly liking the tips on upgrades. I’ve an old Cannondale for commuting which needs some serious tlc. This helps with the shopping list!

What a great video on entry level bikes. I really do think that a lot of beginner cyclists can learn a lot from your’e video’s. Also want to mention again your’e collab with Jimmi, its outstanding. You are bringing your’e channel to a next level!

I just LOVE that budget bikes reviews,so perfect and clear for beginners (like me) Thank you so much GUYS!

Brilliant video, we need more of these sorts of videos for people like me, who can't afford GCN ad £5k bikes. Please keep more of this sort of bike, including what you can find second hand. Thanks!

Love this stuff! I've only ever had a standard mountain style kind of bike in the past, have zero experience/knowledge but really want to get into road biking & the Carrera Vanquish is the exact bike I've been looking to get as my first ever bike. Hope you keep this entry level stuff going to help educate us beginners + look forward to what you'll do to improve this bike as I'll probably copy at some stage 🤣🤣🤣

These videos could not have come at a better time, as Spring has begun. Going to hold off buying anything for the moment to see what info future videos bring.

Awesome to see a channel putting the same effort into reviewing realistic entry level bikes that most channels only do with bikes costing several times as much. Would be great to see you guys putting a couple of hundred quid into the suggested upgrades to see the result. Also as many have said doing some content on used bikes. Great stuff!

Cade Media keeping it real, reviewing bikes the general public actually buy.

I started cycling on the 2015 rim brake version of this bike. I am so happy they switched to disc brakes and larger tyre clearence. I was keen to quickly upgrade to a new bike but it got me into the sport. And great for communiting to rowing.

Totally fair assessment on a pretty good bike. I can't think of a bike I've bought that I didn't immediately change the contact points (bars, saddle, pedals, tires) to suit my preferences.

How brilliant your videos are! I have a boardman road sport I bought 10 years ago I ride everywhere even though I also have full carbon airobike with ultegra groupset. It just goes to show that modern £500 bike is enough to get you fut and enjoy cycling. 😊

Very happy you tested this lovely bike and made a video. When you started discussing hangers it made me realize I was about to go on a bike trip without my spare. That alone is worth a couple thumbs up.

Bought one of these myself about 4 years ago, for £425. I'm a Cannondale junkie, so this was for about town, everyday stuff. The colour was black with green detail & the tyres were 25 mm. Aside from the drops - which took a bit of getting used to (not sure if they are the same as on the current model) - I couldn't fault the bike. It doesn't get used much now due to my more recent purchases being a Synapse & a Diverge, so I plan to use it as my Zwift bike - comfortable saddle & geometry. Good bike.

Considering what happened to the price of bikes in the past couple of years, that's really good value. Claris is actually not a bad groupset. Properly set up, it shifts very well. Yes; I am sure those tires are trash. It's a shame that tires (or "tyres" for you lot) are where low-end bikes cut corners. It's not just a ride quality thing; it's about safety. That's an easy change, though.

Great review chaps and amazing value even considering the required upgrades. Good work 👊

My rim brake Vanquish took me from John O Groats to Land's End in 2019 and never missed a beat (having made a few of the changes mentioned). It's now a grab and go flat bar single speed commuter. Again, kudos guys for showcasing the more budget bikes which for many are their entry to this fantastic past time! Happy cycling!

Love the entry level bike videos. Keep on coming!!!

Loving these videos & the "Francis/Jimmy show" ... really is a breath of fresh air. Be interested to see how this would work on a 2nd hand bike.

Great content again fellas. Showing what simple changes can make an entry bike better. But also another example of the industry, selling bikes to hit a price point, so you can go out and spend some more money within the industry to make the sensible changes that could be made before it hits the shops.

Great that you guys are testing cheaper bikes so helpful for people to find an excellent first bike. Well done!!.

Thanks for the comparison against the Triban. Interesting to hear that the Carrera would, after reasonable tweaks, be the better bike. Appreciated

This is really interesting seeing what's available and how much one can get for the price. I like what your channel is doing covering everything. 👍

Would love for you guys to make those few upgrades to this bike and see if it actually improves it the way it should. Even with those upgrades the bike would still be quite cheap. A comparison of the upgrades to the stock parts would be great for those who want to start upgrading they’re budget bikes!

I got this bike and have changed the tires. Never bother changing the bars as I rarely use the drops. I fitted a 32T cassette. The wheel spoke kept coming loose so changed them as well. Makes a great winter bike.

Love it. As much as I love seeing the latest and greatest it’s good to know the technology is trickling down to affordable price points.

Love your content and it’s great to see honest reviews of entry-level stuff (as well as the more lovely stuff) for people like me who are more or less skint. About Microshift, I can’t compare it to any good slick groupset, but I’ve got Microshift Advent 1x9 on my cheap Decathlon almost-mountainbike and I’m well impressed with it. It feels reliable and robust and has been shifting, I’d say faultlessly for over a year (for something at this pricepoint)

I have a 17 year old Carrera Subway hybrid that I use as an all terrain bike. It was well made, and while most of the components have now been changed, it's still going strong. I notice that the current version on sale is about a couple of kilograms heavier. If I had to replace the old bike now, I'd probably go for a more expensive brand.

Would be great to see a follow up video where you do some of the upgrades you've suggested and compare.

Love the video! I would be very interested to see a test of second hand bikes in the price range around $500. Especially in a comparison to the entry-level bikes you bought at Decathlon and Halfords. My guess is that the 'cheap' bikes do not hold up well over time, whereas second hand bikes with older but higher quality parts often seem indestructible

So nice to watch this entry level content! Being at this level I get some valuable info. Thanks!

Spot on the money guys!! A lot of us don't race and haven't got the money to buy a "proper" bike so the likes of Decathlon, Halfords (or similar in other countries) and second hand (now thats an idea) is where a lot of us end up looking. Keep up with these budget reviews, they are great!!

It's interesting that you mention the gear ratios because I bought a bike from Halfords 30 years ago, or rather my dad did (so it was an entry level budget friendly bike), and the gear ratios were horrific then as well. Where I live isn't that flat and there was one hill that if I made it up I was chuffed with myself because it was that tough. My friend on his mountain bike with much better gearing could just spin his pedals, albeit going uphill slowly, but it was so easy for him. Watching this made me remember those days. Back then there was no UKposts and only TdF highlights on the TV so I never even thought you could actually change the cassette (maybe you couldn't on that bike, who knows, but it would have made life so much easier. That short hill felt like I was going up Alpe d'Huez every time (minus the 20 or so hairpins)!!!

Hi. I got second hand Carrera Virtuoso, same bike like yours but with alloy fork(better for bikepacking) . I changed the brakes with ZTTO hybrid cable actuated hydrolic. I chenged the handlebar 😁, I put 32mm Continental tyres with RideNow TPU inner tubes. I chanded the Claris rear derailleur to long cage and I put 34t 8s cassette. I changed the crank with an old Sora Hollow tech and new Bsa bottom bracket. Finally I changed the saddle. I love thise bike. It's already equipped with all the bags and it is ready for bikepacking. The geometry it's quite relaxed. The bike is very robust and tyre clearance is not bad 32mm is CX territory. Another amazing video. I happy we share the same thoughts. Best regards.

I've had this bike for 9 months for my winter/ commute bike (1,153.1 miles as of this morning on strava)..... The wheels have cup and cone bearings so changed them for Vision Team 30, changed the saddle for a ec90 saddle (I have the proper Specialized Power Comp Saddle on my summer carbon bike, sorry I cant pay £80 for each bike) and fitted £30 Halfords mud guards. I have only just changed the chain last week but everything else is running perfect. The wheels that came with the bike have now got 35mm tyres on for gravel/ canal rides (I live in Birmingham) and will update you once I have tested them with the frame. I personally have no issue with the gears ratio or bars but I am not as experienced as you guys. I can honestly recommend this bike.

5 years ago my local Halfords had a Boardman MX hybrid in stock for £600. When it was the last one in the shop and down to £300, I bought it. It has never been under cover and has had disc pads, chain and cassette replaced. It’s still in good Nick, top buy. I’ve always liked Halfords except for servicing; I don’t trust their mechanics.

a video on comparing the budget bikes with your recommended upgrades and seeing how much better they are, with the focus on which is the best bang for buck.

This entry level series is great! I've been itching to get my first road bike for a couple of years now (just need to convince my SO cycling isn't dangerous)...

I have a Virtuoso, which I think is the same bike but with an alloy fork. I did add a longer cage rear mech and a 34 on the back. Then I changed the crankset for a fsa subcompact. For tires I got some 30mm Zafiros, the front one just barely fits. Then I got a weird little bracket from eBay that lets me mount panniers. It's been great fun although sometimes I think the handling is a bit aggressive for what I use it for. 😂

My first road bike was a steel framed Carrera from the early 90's. Lowest gear was 42-23, although I did later fit a 39 tooth chainring which was the smallest that would fit! Gears didn't get any smaller back then! 34-28 is perfectly adequate for the hills of North Wales!

My OH has used a Carrera crossfire for commuting to work for years. It has been really good. It’s needed tyres, chain etc which wear out with use, but it has been really good.

I keep thinking about buying a road bike, my massively heavy hybrid is horrible to ride. Your entry level bike tests are ideal for me because this is the sort of budget that I would be looking at.

would love to see a second test with the changed components, see how it holds up then :)

I've recommended Carreras for years. On a budget they are great bang for buck. My first proper mtb, and road bike were Carreras.

another great video! i would love to see your opinion on the new, revamped and higher spec range of decathalon bikes that look to come with deep carbon wheels from mavic and a choice of ultegra or dura ace. they are also UCI approved so that would be cool to see

I know a lot of comments are saying this but it's very refreshing to see a genuine entry level bike. When you're saying entry level and reviewing a bike that's £1500-£2000 you've made a wrong turn somewhere

a really solid deal for a bike to start out on ! 2X8 claris is a really solid and reliable platform, is it premium, no ! But it'll sure get you in some nice miles before most beginners ever need more ! Looks like a nice bike overall for an astonishingly good entry point ! AND a platform you could upgrade over time like a bit more of a nicer groupset, (with better ratios) and or a bit nicer saddle (that suits the rider). or bars, or wheels. But right out the box, pretty good imo

Would watch a video with Jimmy’s 2.5 upgrades to this bike.

Right well, if I wasn’t addicted to your content before…. This stuff is great, being able to share stuff like this with new riders is so helpful, rather than taking my biased opinion on things ha. Well done guys, keep it up.

Well done Francis. Excellent video. You should hvave pointed out that your local bike shop will be more than happy to advise which bars, stem, cassette and tyres to put on to an otherwise, lovely entry level bike. I would encourage anyone with £700 to spend on a new bike to get something like this and spend a bit of time, getting some Controltech Ones, Deda RHMs, a Sunrace or Claris cassette (or even putting a road fairy onto the hanger) and some quality Schwalbes on the go. Durano, Lugano or Marathons. cheers.

Was going to get this bike as an entry-level bike to get back into cycling. They were out of stock due to the Suez Canal stuff at the time, so got the Pinacle Laterite 2 instead from Evans Cycles for a little bit more. Been really impressed with that one.

Had the cheapest voodoo gravel bike before I bought my current road bike. Actually found it very good. Changed the pads and put on a compressionless front brake out. For the cost it was great just heavy. Bar feel was the exact same as what you noticed.

As usually, I am here to comment that buying second hand is usually a better choice assuming you have a bit of understanding of bikes oooor you are willing to learn a bit from some youtube tutorials. However, I appreciate you guys not trashing these bikes purely because they dont have aero wheels :D Also I think it is a cool idea for a video where you each have X budget and you buy a second hand bike from it. if you buy a bargain for less, you can decide to spend that money on upgrades. Then you meet back and try and compare the bikes.

Its about time some one is reviewing entry level bikes Chapeau to you both, would not see this on that other channel ncg 😎

I still use my Carrera road king (its the one in the picture actually) this is what the Vanquish was 15ish years ago apart from a few replacement parts due to wear it's still going strong. Cycling does not need to be expensive!

Would love to see you fix those few items and re-review to see if it really does improve it like you’d hoped!

A note on halfords cycle care plan. I took it out thinking its really cheap and would be a good idea. And for the discount and free fitting of stuff its ok. But the servicing is basically non-existent. Every time I tried to book to use one of the services, there was never a mechanic available or I would turn up to actually have the service happen but when I turned up no one was there to do that. Now that might have just been my local grouping of stores in south london, but still, its something to be aware of if your buying a bike and a careplan from them

Love the value series. Might i suggest a retro grouch commuter challenge

I like microshift, I setup a microshift acolyte on the wifes old 26" trek mountain bike and it works awesome😊

Heya guys, really enjoying the “New Channel” i really like the fact that you are covering budget bikes, waaaay too many youtubers that only seem to review and promote bikes that are way out of an average or beginner budget!! please keep up a variety of reviews 👍🏼….. im in the market for a budget road bike, but i wonder whats best 1) £500-900 budget bike (New) 2) 2nd hand older Mid entry bike 3) a good set of road wheels for my Gravel bike??

Was really surprised at the bike I managed to pick up at Halfords recently. Boardman road bike, full carbon, full 105 groupset and hydro disc. Couldn't find what I was looking for at that price. Halfords isn't really the place when you think to spend money on a higher end bike but I think this was a steal

My first road bike was a Carrera and the first things I changed were the exact ones you chose. Fantastic little bike for the money, especially if you can get it when it's discounted

Bought my Gravel bike few years back with a similar spec, I changed the tires fairly promptly, which make a huge difference. And did go hydraulic as I found cable never worked that well off road at least! If I ever needed it be decent commute bike to be honest, the Halfords bike.

I bought a Carrera Virtuoso road bike almost 7 years ago for just under £300, still going strong. Hoping to upgrade to something a bit nicer one day.

I had the rim version of this bike. It was just over 10kg, comfortable, quick enough and smooth. I owned a Cannondale CAAD8 at the time and I didn't think the Carrera felt much different. A bargain really

That's really impressive. The equivalent costing bike at a Walmart in the U.S. is a Decathlon Riverside 100 with friction shifters and rim brakes. 1x6. It's also cool that it has sizes, Walmart bikes (especially Schwinn, Huffy, Kent) are all a single size.

Hi guys new sub, I'm a cycle technician at the said store mentioned in the video above. Love your critique of the vanquish, my manager let me know about your channel and I'm impressed guys,you were more than fair in your assessment of the bike,I also do not like the handlebars and have mentioned this to halfords HQ. The vanquish is a good value bike at that price ,it is smooth on the ride and as you say just change a few bits that you personally don't like and you will have a great bike which will perform as well or better than more expensive bikes that do the same. 🇬🇧👍👍👍

Would love you guys to upgrade this bike to what you think is considered great. Nice videos series, love these! There's nothing quite in depth like it on YT.

Good you opted this one and not the cheaper Tourney one. Btw, 435 is for an alloy fork option of same-ish frame

I bought a 750 quid gt grade full carbon, second hand. A very fast road bike that if you want to go on the gravel, you can. Awesome.

I did the money conversion, for the same price I could get at Costco Northrock SR1 (made by Giant) with Sora and proper handlebar. I bought one 2 years ago. I replaced a few things because I like quality pieces. I changed the wheels, the brake pads and the crankset. My Costco bike doesn't feel cheap at all, it is my road bike #2, it is about 1 or 2 km/h slower than my expensive bike.

Nice series. These recent purchases (Carrera and Triban) staying in the range price of £350-£430 makes you reconsider the option of purchasing an used carbon bike, with better components. In fact, while it's pretty inevitable that the purchase of an used bike will force you to spend more money servicing it, on these bike you know that for the first 2,000 miles you should be problems free. After this mileage, you'll probably need to replace some parts, but I guess not a lot newcomers cover that distance in a few months.

if you want cheaper than dirt, crisp shifting sti, get sensha 2×7...11 levers. works amazing. single lever, no paddle shifters, just the brake levers. small slilde in, shift to the smaller, slide in big, shifts up. kinda shimano and sram mix. great stuff. and the most important, cabels under the hoods.

Have been a loyal subscriber since the early days and like the new content that you're producing, but I really miss the ride vids with just you and your mates enjoying a ride somewhere. Appreciate the new style gets more views, but I miss the old ones. They were ace to enjoy watching with a coffee.

I've got an old vanquish, the white and green one. It's still going, it's done 1000's of miles, it's had new pads, new tyres and two new cassettes and chains. I can't fault the thing, it's more reliable than my more expensive purchases. And yes I had to change the town ratio to an 11-32 😁

Quickly becoming my new favorite cycling channel, awesome work lads.

Loving the content at the mo 😍

I have this as my throw around bike and upgraded it with sram rival and some DT Swiss 1800 wheels, kind of overkill but dropping people on a carrera makes me feel like a champion

It's great that you guys are looking at entry level bikes as buying a new bike as a newbie can be quite daunting. I've seen the Vitus Razor from Wiggle /Chain Reaction as another entry level option. What are your thoughts on that bike?

I actually own the same bike and other then the bars I have changed the cassette to a 32 and the tyres to some hybrid ones and I love it.

Absolute love this "series" already, you guys could be the pioneers for us hard workers (small earners :D) to present new bikes for 500-1000EUR range.

Imagine asking Francis Cade if he would like to purchase extra maintenance and protection for his budget bike purchase. :D For real, we see a lot of very expensive bikes on your channel. Good on you for showing some great entry level options for new riders out there.

That is my first road bike (even though that was 2017 and rim brake). Everything you said was right; I changed the tyres which made a massive difference and put a bigger cassette on it which helped as well. I did eventually get a new set of wheels (Shimano RS100) which made it feel better again.

I like the comment at the end, to make it a great bike you need to change this and that... And you end up buying more in spare parts that you spent initially on it. Sometimes, it is better to take a new complete bike... I did this exact same calculation when starting listing what I will upgrade to make my triban bike better...

I've been using this bike for the last 6 months. I agree about the tyres - I threw away the stock ones and got Panaracer, way better. The tyre clearance it's impressive, I have a second set of wheels with 35" tyres - there's probably enough room for 38" too, not bad for a road bike (I also ride on gravel)! I've replaced the pedals since I really didn't like the stock ones. About gear ratios - I think it's a very personal thing; the only time where I was struggling was on a 20% climb (I had to stand on pedals pushing hard on 1st gear) - otherwise no issues. Overall it's a great bike, not perfect but for what you pay you get a lot.

Bars, cassettes, saddles, tires are all such personal things that I'd expect to change them on pretty much any bike. Even after those changes, you're still looking at a pretty good price, especially considering the ridiculous price of higher-end bikes these days.

The carrera folding bike is great fun well set up give it a try I had mine at hamsterley down a red trail I'd changed the tyres and put hydraulic brakes on good fun

Hearing the complaint about the front rings is amusing considering 50/34 seemed to be the 'standard' compact setup when I got my bike a handful of years ago

I bought an RC120 with disc brakes and I swear by this bike. In fact it was so good that I bought another one when the first one was stolen. I added clipless pedals, replaced the tires on that one, and got the cable actuated TRP HY/RD hybrid calipers and the bike now rides like a charm. The next upgrade will be a decent wheelset (I'm thinking Mavic Allroad, would love your advice!). I genuinely think that this could potentially be the best sub-1000Eur setup! Also, MicroShift is so underrated. They're really really good!